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Everyone likes to think they are irreplaceable in their profession. When you take a two-week holiday and return to your workplace to be told 'we've really missed you', it goes a long way to feeling worthy or essential to your role.

When Jenson Button went into semi-retirement at the end of last season he was given the send off the 2009 world champion deserved. The 37-year-old has seemingly been enjoying his free time and 'indulged' in the things that give him great pleasure including putting himself through the rigours of triathlon training and competition.

Yet the Briton couldn't quite bring himself to sign off completely, opting to become an ambassador for McLaren as well as a reserve driver for the 2017 season.

And yet, just two races into the new campaign there is already clamour for him to return to F1, albeit for one race only at Monaco.

Fernando Alonso had only just announced he was to miss the Monaco Grand Prix over the weekend of May 25-28 and race at the Indianapolis 500 instead when people were already putting Button's backside into his seat.

Thinking it through, it can surely only be @JensonButton gracing the grid for @McLarenF1 in Monaco. Which is good 👏👍

While fans, pundits and fairweather F1 supporters were quick to call Button out of his mini-retirement a cheeky response from a driver who has competed on 17 occasions at the street circuit did not shut down the proposition.

McLaren executive director Zak Brown has said they do not know as yet who will replace Alonso to partner Stoffel Vandoorne in Monaco but are in discussions with drivers. Racing director Eric Boullier will have the final call on his replacement.

"Fernando's replacement driver is not in place. Those conversations are ongoing. We have a few different options and we will state who that is when we know," Brown said.

Jenson Button could take Fernando Alonso's seat for Monaco Grand Prix

"Eric, who runs the Formula 1 team, is ultimately responsible for making the recommendation for what driver goes in the car. He will be here at the weekend. He's working on it and I wouldn't want to share what conversations he's had with whom."

McLaren added 17-year-old Brit Lando Norris to their young driver programme earlier this year. Upon hearing Alsonso's race sabbatical he made known of his availability.

Last year, Lando was awarded the prestigious McLaren Autosport British Racing Drivers’ Club (BRDC) Award.

He was crowned the Formula Renault 2.0 Northern European Cup champion in early October a week after scooping the Eurocup Formula 2.0 title.

The youngster also finished eighth in the BRDC British Formula 3 Championship despite only racing in half of the events.

McLaren arguably would prefer an experienced driver at the helm for one of the most challenging drives on the Formula One circuit. Button has started more than 300 grand prixs during his career, although he has not driven the new 2017 MCL32 car which could prove one stumbling block.

"I don't personally know [how much experience Jenson has of the 2017 car]. He obviously hasn't tested it physically but whether he has done simulator time with the '17 car, Eric would have more knowledge than I on that."